Author Archives: Melissa Gracey

Growing a family, buying a home and retiring from your professional career are exciting life events that people talk about but few plan for. If you put off planning for these happy occasions, imagine how little time you devote to preparing for life’s unfortunate realities, such as losing a job, becoming disabled or passing away, […]

If you received a year-end bonus, congratulations! As gratifying as it may be to splurge on something you can enjoy immediately, you may want to take a few moments to consider how you can maximize those dollars for the long term. Following are seven smart money moves to help you use a windfall of money […]

The decision to invest in stocks is one that individuals must take the time to consider carefully, weighing the risks and rewards in the context of their unique facts and circumstances. In general, stocks carry far greater risks than other investments, such as bonds and cash. Investors must contend with market volatility based on economic […]

Cosigning loans for friends or family members can spell financial disaster and ruin otherwise healthy relationships. While it is not unusual for parents to cosign for a child’s student loans, car loans or even a mortgage, doing so can damage parents’ credit scores and leave them liable for paying off the entire debt plus interest.  […]

High interest rates and persistent inflation have raised red flags for many investors nearing or entering retirement. In this uncertain environment, soon-to-be retirees are increasingly turning to annuities to help diversify and protect their retirement savings while creating a steady and predictable income stream for all their remaining living years. Determining whether annuity products are […]

In a world where we conduct and share so much of our lives online, it is essential to consider what happens to our digital footprint after we pass away. Do family members have the usernames and passwords needed to access all your financial accounts and pay bills in your absence? Can they access all the […]

If you think the only form of cheating in a marriage happens in the bedroom, you would be wrong. A growing number of marriages suffer the damaging effects of financial infidelity in which one spouse intentionally lies about or hides assets or other financial information from the other spouse.  Both are examples of betrayals that […]

Gone are the days when large, institutional banks and wirehouses were the only ones with pockets deep enough to arm financial advisors with the tools needed to attract and retain wealthy clients. Today, independent brokers/dealers and registered investment advisories associated with independent wealth management firms have access to a wide array of customizable strategies and […]

Ever since the creation of the first investable index fund in 1975, investors have debated whether it is better to invest in actively or passively managed investments. Is one superior to the other? Not necessarily. Should you utilize one over the other? Probably not. With passively managed investments, your money is automatically put into securities […]

Naming beneficiaries to receive proceeds from a life insurance policy or retirement account is a difficult decision that requires consideration of a range of factors. Because these selections supersede designations in your will, they are an important step in the estate-planning process that must be addressed with particular care and attention to detail. Selecting Beneficiaries […]